COVENTRY’S leading Conservative says he has ruled himself out of standing to become elected mayor – citing illness in his family.

Coventry people will vote in a referendum on May 3 to decide whether there should be an elected mayor running the city council.

If there is a “yes” vote there would then be a mayoral election in November.

Until now Councillor Kevin Foster, the Tory opposition leader, has refused to rule out standing to become the Conservative candidate.

But, asked by the Telegraph if he was still considering standing, he said: “No”.

He added: “My mum’s fine with it being public knowledge already that she’s been suffering from bowel cancer over the last year, and has chemotherapy. It means over the summer I’ll be spending time with family (in Plymouth). That rules out completely going for the mayor job – if it were to happen.”

Asked if a change of family circumstances could see him changing his position after May, Coun Foster said: “I don’t see that happening.”

Pressed for further clarification, he said: “It’s not going to happen. Unless there is a miraculous recovery.”

Coun Foster said he expected Coventry Conservatives would select their candidate for any November mayoral contest in June. No other Tory councillors have stated publicly they would be interested in standing.

Coun Foster added: “A mayor would give the city a powerful voice and opportunity to elect someone with a real mandate in dealing with government in the city’s interest.

“If Birmingham votes for a mayor – and Leicester already has one – it would be a missed opportunity if the city stayed with the current system.”

But 11 of 15 Tory councillors have joined all other Coventry councillors in opposing having an elected mayor to replace the leader and cabinet system of ten elected councillors.

Opponents point to ministerial pledges in the Commons that cities would not need a mayor to qualify for new funding schemes under City Deals. A City Deal has already been created for Manchester councils.

They believe a mayor system would put too much decision-making power in the hands of one person – who could not be removed for four years. Existing council leaders can be removed by councillors, as well as by voters in their ward at elections.

Lib Dem councillor Russell Field and Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist claim elected mayor systems are less democratic – as elected councillors would need a huge two-thirds majority to block a mayor’s policies.

They also point to a general failure of mayors in 14 other places to boost economic growth, the Government’s big claim for mayors.